Project A-Game

It is my intention to run a truly special, truly memorable RPG campaign this year. Something that is elevated above the run-of-the-mill work I feel has made up the bulk of my endeavors over the past 12 months or so since the pandemic began.

True, the Red Dwarf/Yellow Sun game was on point and pretty amazing but other than that it has felt like I've been generating a lot of mediocre content. 

In order to bring my 'A-Game' to the virtual table though, I need to go with campaign concepts I truly feel passionate about. Likewise, I require a group of players eager and invested in these concepts as well, to the point where they aren't just saying, "OK, I'll play" but rather 'That sounds awesome! I'm all in!".

That later part maybe a little harder to pull off at present and with these particular ideas. That said, here is what I have:

[Stay tuned at the end for a rather unusual offer.]

Idea #1

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Flood 

Set a little before the original Anime series and using a merged original and 'Rebuild' continuity, the flooded city of London-2 is the site of attacks by invading aliens. To thwart these devastating creatures, a subdivision of NERV, Project: NIMUE, battles the monsters with their own EVA Units. These Units are not derived from The First Angel, 'Adam'...so where do they come from? 

Players would play 14-19 year old pilots who need to get in their &*$%ing robots and protect England and the European Union from the Absolute Terror that are The FALLEN ANGELS. 

Adapting the rules found in Tales from the Loop and Things from the Flood, I would love to run this creepy, angsty, action-packed story which I've had in the back of my mind for over 15 years.

Idea #2

The Kill Death Business:

Tonight on Hell TV we tune in to everyone in the Underworld's favorite unreal-Reality/Game Show, 'The Kill Death Business'! Contestants (the PCs) are Souls sent to that realm of eternal damnation over relatively minor sins but given the chance to earn points towards being forgiven and moving on to a better afterlife in Heaven! If you are willing and able to reach the Bonus Round, you will be given the choice of the land of eternal happiness or returning...to Earth!

Contestants earn points by hunting down and eliminating even worse Souls, those that have become so corrupted they're now Demons! These foul entities are trying to wreck havoc in the mortal realm and only you can stop them AND win lovely parting gifts!

There is some fine print in your contract of course; nothing you need concern yourself with. In order to take down some of these truly terrible foes, you need to be a bit terrible yourself. While this earns you points on the show, Heaven isn't going to want awful, violent people skipping through the Pearly Gates. Of course, big time Devils might see your handy work and offer you a better job if you stay but wait, what about the chance to return to Earth?

A darkly humorous Action/Comedy that mixes The Good Place with Battle Royale.

Honestly, as much as I really, really want to run this game, I don't think I could assemble a group of players out of my entire current talent pool who would be completely behind this concept. It is a little too dark and easily misunderstood.

Much like another game I deeply love, the All-Australian Sci-Fi Comedy RPG Hunter Planet, it's hard to get everyone involved on the same page for something like this. If you're lucky, you start out with a bunch of people who just hear about it and instantly say, "Oh man, what an AWEsome concept! I totally get it!", then you start making characters and playing and discover that no...no they don't. 

This game is a TRPG that comes from Japan and utilizes the Dice Fiction system I discussed near the end of February. Another game using a variant of Dice Fiction is Idea #3... 

Idea #3

Yokai Hunters Society - Dice Fiction:

Original Version Cover

During the Meiji Period of Japan (possibly switched to the Edo Period - haven't decided), a secret organization of ghost and demon hunting heroes from all walks of Japanese life band together to protect their land and people from supernatural menaces. 

In addition to Anime and Chanbara style action, there will be drama and even humor stemming from the 'secret identity' lives of the individual YHS members. Since each wears a Mask their true identity is unknown even to others on their team (at least initially). Players may be nobles or beggars, peasant girls or retired soldiers, and no one would know who was what until the story unfolds. 

Rules would be based on my adaption of Dice Fiction, mentioned in posts last month (check out the tag below). 

Honorable Mention:

I have two other ideas - One which I have been really interested in for a long time and one that I've only recently felt an inclination to try out. Both are inspired by both Anime and Manga and game concepts of partially American origins. These two ideas...will open April.

Check back to fine out! 

There is a reason Dungeons and Dragons is the most popular RPG in the Western world. It has broad appeal and is (for some reason) easy for a large number of people to understand mechanically. It is the American Football of RPGs. It is the McDonalds of gaming.

I am not a Sports fan. My comfort food is Spicy Ramen. I often feel like I'm at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to selling people on my ideas.

So...

If any of these ideas really appeal to you, you aren't busy on a Wednesday or Sunday evening, and you favor character, story, and setting over rule mechanics, contact me via Twitter and let me know. I might be able to add you to a game. No guarantee but let's talk shall we? My Twitter ID is Barking Alien @alien_barking. 

Be sure to indicate which of the game ideas you would be most interested in and what your second choice would be. The game with the most interest will likely be the one we do. 

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Oh and it probably doesn't need to be said that I'm also always up for...

 

Things From The Second Impact

You know what goes really well with Giant Robots? Existential Dread!

I had something of an epiphany while doing research for [what I hope will be] a future Anime Mecha campaign.

It came about after reading a post and its follow-up responses on Reddit regarding the very same subject I was thinking of exploring...a tabletop RPG campaign based on Neon Genesis Evangelion. The original poster, the person who started the thread, asked what game system people would recommend to run a NGE campaign. He further stated that he was well aware of the various existing Evangelion RPG offerings and was A) looking for something different and B) curious what others would consider a good match for the setting.

Wait...have I never discussed Neon Genesis Evangelion and its impact (no pun intended) on me and the stories I create?

That's just wrong.

(See what I did there? Now it's a Thorough Thursday post!)

For those unfamiliar with Neon Genesis Evangelion...what the heck is wrong with you? How are you even from this planet? I'm not and I still know what Evangelion is! OK, teasing aside, Neon Genesis Evangelion is a Japanese Mecha Anime that originally ran on TV Tokyo in Japan from October of 1995 to March of 1996. The 26 episode series was the product of Studio Gainax and was ground breaking in terms of subject, storytelling, and its deconstruction and deep love for the Mecha genre. 

Ostensibly a classic Sci-Fi Mecha scenario in which the Earth is attacked by alien monsters with only a handful of young pilots and super-powered giant robots to defend it, NGE isn't about that anymore than Citizen Kane is about a sled. There are layers upon layers of themes and meanings to Evangelion, including explorations of Mental Illness, Religious Imagery, Spiritualism, Psychology, and Philosophy. 

The end of the original series was quite controversial, with popular stories and theories being that they had run overbudget and behind schedule (which was true) forcing them to finish it somewhat abruptly. It spawned two films - Death and Rebirth and The End of Evangelion in an attempt to mitigate some of the ill-will towards the finale and complete the original vision for the series. Later, over a period of 14 years (between 2007 and 2021), four features films would retell the story and add a good deal of additional material.

The Rebuild of Evangelion adds new characters, expands and changes our perspective on old ones, and ends with a very different final act that only came out this month, Evangelion: 3.0 + 1.0 'Thrice Upon A TIme' (the only one I myself have not yet seen). 

I was absolutely obsessed with Evangelion when it came out and saw the original 'last film', The End of Evangelion, in a movie theater in conjunction with a Anime Convention I was working at. I once spoke to an executive from Gainax through a translator and he asked me if I like the film and I told him I liked it very much. Then he asked if I understood it. I admitted to being unsure that I completely understood all of it. He laughed a deep, hearty laugh and excitedly said, "That is alright. I did not understand it either." 

Finally, I have wanted to run an Evangelion campaign for many, many years now.

Japanese produced and published Evangelion tabletop RPGs

There have been at least two official versions of Evangelion tabletop RPGs in Japan (possibly three), as well as at least two or three made by American fans. One of the fan produced American games is actually quite popular, Adeptus Evangelion, and it uses the rules for Dark Heresy for some reason. (Kidding! Not a terrible game but not right for this). 

Going back to the Reddit thread, a great many commenters were suggesting on Mecha systems or another, if they weren't touting a generic game like GURPS, Hero System, or (*shudder*) D20. Then, like the Spear of Longinus itself, a reader game through with a statement that pierced the clouds and hit right on target. 

I am paraphrasing: "I see so many people recommending Mecha games. These people must not have seen Evangelion. That isn't the focus of the series. It's about people - damaged people - and their relationships with each other."

That is so right, so perfectly stated that it started me rethinking my own approach. 

Hold on a moment...Angsty Teens. Check. Each character has a Problem, a Drive, and a Shame. Checks. Relationships are a key element of the setting and system. Check. Scars, physical and mental, are what results from failure. Check. I've got it!

Things from The Flood.

The sequel to the absolutely awesome Tales from The Loop, the game is scaled up in both Player Character age and overall danger level. The game is essentially perfect for a Neon Genesis Evangelion campaign, albeit without the addition of some Mecha rules. Perhaps adapted from my MSV system? 

'Cause the thing is, even though NGE isn't really about Giant Robots battling bizarre Space Monsters...

It totally is!

Thoughts? Ideas? Questions? Feel free to share.

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The Song of Thra

This is my third entry for the month of October on the subject of The Dark Crystal. It will be the last for a while.

I have been in an odd funk this month gaming wise and it's been directly effecting my ability to post. I sit down with enthusiasm and ideas in my head, then rapidly the ideas become muddled and I get distracted, which makes it nigh impossible to finish. This post should have been completed a week ago for example. 

Although I definitely have more thoughts on The Dark Crystal film and series, not to mention adventuring on the world of Thra, I also have a lot of other thoughts on a lot of other subjects as well, and they seem to be getting in the way of a clear and concise treatment of this particular project. If I don't give myself a cut off point, I could just ramble on and on and I don't feel that gives my Dark Crystal ideas, or my other ideas, the thorough consideration they deserve.

With that, let's discuss a The Dark Crystal role-playing game...

The Mystic Prophets Warn of Spoilers

End. Begin. All The Same.

Let's start the way one should, IMHO, start any RPG game endeavor, which is with the questions, 'What is this game about?' and 'What do the Player Characters do in this game?'

Campaigns set on the world of The Dark Crystal would, for the most part, be very similar to those on any Fantasy world.

The peoples of Thra explore ruins, fight monstrous beasts, and save each other from dastardly villains of one sort or another just like the heroes of a thousand other settings. The major difference between a traditional Fantasy RPG and a Dark Crystal RPG would be the themes explored and the PC motivations that propel the game forward.

The Dark Crystal is a setting tied to very particular ideas not always associated with Fantasy adventuring. Concepts like protecting and working with the environment and ecology of the land, spiritualism but not religion, and a sense of family, friendship, and community in the face of outside forces attempting to divide the people are very much aspects of stories set on Thra. 

Depending on the era you set your game in, the kind of tales you might tell will differ but overall I'd like to think they would be a bit less shallow then those of a typical Sword & Sorcery or Dungeons & Dragons game. Ruins may be explored but not with the goal of finding wealth and treasure. Great creatures may be slain but reluctantly, as all creatures large and small are part of the Song of Thra. Dastardly villains must be battled and bested for they are stealing from the world itself to benefit only themselves. 

Their Harsh and Twisted Bodies. Their Harsh and Twisted Wills.

The villains of The Dark Crystal, the Skeksis, are more than just murderous monsters, yet they execute evil acts far worse than any mere ogre or wizard. They divided the Gelfling Clans, kept them distrustful of each other, consumed resources and enslaved the less physically powerful in ways that reflect the overindulgence and lack of concern beyond themselves associated with the wealthy aristocracy. The Skeksis embody all the worst traits of classism and colonialism. They are not abstractly evil. They are literally the worst thoughts, feelings, and attitudes given form. 

Dark Signs, Strange Storms, Sand Where There Used to Be Sea.

Thra itself is alive and is in a sense an ever present NPC that constantly and continuously impacts the lives of PCs in a Dark Crystal game. The Song of Thra resonates in the world's rocks and trees, it's flowers and animals, and in every one of it's native peoples. The presence of Skeksis and the darkening of the Crystal of Truth - also known as 'The Heart of Thra' - disrupts the Song and puts the entire planet out of sorts with itself. This leads to blights that kill crops, animals going into vicious rages, and a host of other ills that strike the environment of Thra along with its inhabitants. 

A considerable portion of any Dark Crystal RPG, regardless of era, should deal with how what is happening in the story effects Thra and vice versa. 

Map of the Skarith Region of Thra

Based on the map from the J.M. Lee Young Adult Novels

Modified by Yours Truly.

By Gelfling Hand or Else By None

Regarding Player Characters; I would say that while the role-playing potential of portraying a Skeksis or an urRu is definitely something to consider, there are various reasons why I don't think I'd personally open up these beings for use as PCs. This doesn't mean I don't think you could do it but I will hold off on discussing this approach myself, at least for now.

My default idea would go with Gelflings as Player Characters. The Gelflings are the most common sentient species of Thra and the focus of the original film, the novels, and the Netflix series. In comparison to other Fantasy RPGs, this makes them the 'Humans of Thra', yet they are wonderfully, delightfully not Human.

Gelflings come in a variety of physical and cultural variations, possess a number of special abilities, unique gifts and mystical talents, and reinforce the feeling of the setting being at once exotic and familiar. This paradox makes them the perfect PCs for a Dark Crystal game. 

If your story is set after the film you run into the problem of there being only two Gelfling in the entire world. It is one of the elements that has prevented me from creating a Dark Crystal RPG before now. However, with the addition information provided in the novel series and streaming series, a post film campaign becomes more viable. 

To begin with, the film does note that the Crystal of Truth - the healed, previously 'dark' Crystal - has the power Jen and Kira (the film's last remaining Gelflings) need to restore or rebirth the world of Thra. This is [in part] why the UrSkeks (the recombined urRu and Skeksis) leave the Crystal in the care of the Gelfling pair. In my mind, listening to and joining in with the revitalized Song of Thra, Jen and Kira are able to cause new Gelfling to be born into the world. 

Initially these Gelfling would rise out of the Swamps of Sog, step out dryad-like from cracks in the trees of the Dark Wood, and so forth. They will likely have no knowledge or memories associated with the past and would need to learn about their world like early Humans did. Of course they have the benefit of the teachings of Jen and Kira, as well as a wiser and more careful Aughra, who is in many ways almost as important to Thra as the Crystal of Truth. 

This leads to some interesting Character Creation options. Imagine if each of the Seven Clans of Gelfling have their own specific skills and gifts, perhaps three special to their type, along with abilities all Gelfling have such as Dreamfasting and Winged Flight for females. Post film Gelfling may be able to choose a mix of Clan traits, since the idea of Clans has been long forgotten. Personally, I notice that while Kira in the original movie looks a lot like Vapra, she has capabilities that remind me of Deet from the Netflix series, who is a Grottan. 

There Is No Filthier Creature In All of Thra

Another Player Character option I would gladly entertain would be a Podling. The Pod People, such as the character of Hup in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, are a simple, rural dwelling, agrarian species living in homes made in the bases of large trees. They are about a head and a half shorter than Gelflings, have a potato like head, and are skilled farmers, gardeners, musicians, cooks, and brewers. 

They are a somewhat hedonistic people, living for life's simple pleasures. The love food, drink, celebrating with banquets, and when young they enjoy rolling around in the dirt and mud (which they sometimes eat for reasons unknown). They remind me of naughty hobbits to some extent and for that reason alone I would be happy to see someone play a Podling. My only stipulation is that not too many people play them. They are not generally seen as adventurers and Podlings willing to stand up and fight terrible danger should be rather rare. 

Where Once Was Great Knowledge, Like Smoke, It Slips Away

The hardest part of this endeavor to create a Dark Crystal RPG has been choosing a system. There are three games that have caught my eye as possible choices and they are Mouse Guard, Ryuutama, and Tales from The Loop.

Mouse Guard was going to be the basis of the official Dark Crystal tabletop RPG when it was originally announced a few years back. The idea of having a number of dice in 'Nature', as in the character's nature, seems to work really well with the themes in The Dark Crystal. Referencing what I said about Gelfling characters above, think of each Gelfling Clan being defined by three Natures, with an addition two or three defining all Gelfling. In a prequel era campaign each play would pick a Clan and get the appropriate Natures for that group. In a post film campaign, Gelfling PCs could pick two from Column A and one from Column C so to speak. 

I also like the basic die mechanic of Successes and Failures (called Cowards in the game, which I find downright hilarious and immersive). The only drawback is that Mouse Guard can be, like its predecessor Burning Wheel, a little over written. There is an awesome, really simple and fast system them that sometimes seems slowed down and made less elegant but very sub-systems and addition rules that I don't find particularly necessary. I would have to trim it down a bit and simplify various aspects of the game to make it work, then add back in the mysticism, Dreamfasting, and other fantastic elements. 

Another option I considered is Ryuutama, The Dragon's Egg, a Japanese TRPG translated into English by Kotodama Heavy Industries. It is a fantastic, heartwarming Fantasy game that de-emphasizes combat and focuses on the journey itself. The game has the right feel and some really cool ideas but the dice mechanics are my favorite. I prefer games that utilize dice pools or simple roll-and-beat-a-difficulty using a single die type, 

Finally, I have been really enamored with Free League's games lately and have considered the idea that the system found in Tales from The Loop might work well with this concept. Among the nifty mechanics found in Tales from The Loop (a variant on the Year Zero System I am currently enjoying in my ALIEN RPG campaign) is the way you don't take Damage in the traditional sense so much as get stressed out, frightened, and injured. You can decrease stress by being taken care, talking to, or generally being in contact with another character, PC or NPC. This effectively reflects the strength Gelflings get from one another, evidenced in scenes between Brea and her sisters, Rian and Deet, and even Deet and Hup (though Hup is a Podling). 

I feel like I may be headed towards some 'Great Conjunction' of these three systems. I am still researching and experimenting. Remember, Garthims we'ren't built in a day. Oh wait...nevermind. 

Anyway, this brings me to the end of this post and my final thoughts on The Dark Crystal for the time being. I am so eager to bring this world to the gaming table I can't quite express it. It's a burning, nagging desire. It calls to me as the Crystal calls to it's Shard. I am not positive that I will get to it any time soon however, and they makes me kinda sad. 

Still, it gives me more time to develop ideas and hopefully a second season of the Netflix series will bring more of my fellow gamers around to the concept. Until then...

Come again when the last sister kisses the horizon and don’t be late.

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RPGaDay Challenge 2017 - Day 1

Here we go gang! The opening salvo to the battle of the century...

Barking Alien vs The 2017 RPGaDay Challenge!

This is actually pretty easy to answer, as there is only one RPG currently being published that I am actually interested in playing, or running, and I am REALLY interested.

I have dozens of ideas for this game, many of which are interchangeable regardless of the campaign's overall premise. This is a good thing too, since I have a few different campaign concepts as well.

As noted in my previous post about the game, I would definitely change a few things, most notably the '80's that never was' elements. I would set my games in the '80s that most definitely was. The weirdness doesn't work for me if it enters a world that is already weird. That doesn't really fit the kids-on-bikes-save-the-world genre anyway.

Will I get to run this? Not anytime soon, which is unfortunate, but I am not upset. I really like the projects I'm currently working on, so I can afford to be patient.

With Stranger Things Season 2 coming in October of this year, who knows?

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Barking Alien

Loop-The-Loop

It's been a while since I was really excited about a published RPG.

I've looked forward to things that were lackluster upon release, just weren't what I thought they'd be, or that never ended up coming out at all. As noted on the blog several times, especially here, I not only have enough games in my collection to last me a lifetime, I also tend to go back to the same five, or six games again and again and don't need new ones to do what I like to do.

At the same time, I like trying new games. That's a thing with me, and it always has been. I like discovering a new approach to the craft, or being inspired by a new take on things. 

Periodically I will hear about a new game coming out, get interested, do some research, and more often than not take a look at a friends copy. What I mean is, my excitement wanes and I don't feel driven to buy it when it comes out. Sometimes I do, but it is very rare these days.

However...I just found one that I really like. Maybe even love. I'm talking about...

Inspired by the art book of the same name by Swedish artist Simon Stalenhag, Tales from the Loop is an RPG set in an alternate history 1980s.

In addition to catching the thrilling adventures of Knight Rider, and the A-Team on television, listening to the music of Bonnie Tyler and Culture Club, and going to the movies to see The Breakfast Club, or Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, you can watch industrial robots, flying cargo haulers, and ominous towers pass by as you bike home with your friends.

The premise is that The Loop, a massive particle accelerator first built in the 1950s, and active recently has caused weird machines and strange occurrences to happen around your otherwise normal suburban home town. You play kids, between 10 and 15, who investigate the odd goings on and try to unravel the mysteries behind them. 

The setting that comes with the game postulates the creation of one such Loop on islands just offshore of Stockholm, Sweden, and another not far from Boulder City, Colorado and the Hoover Dam in the US.

The feeling evoked by the game's concepts are reminiscent of films like E.T., The Goonies, Flight of the Navigator, Back to the Future, and the recent Netflix phenomenon Stranger Things. 

Perhaps it should be...

I think the game is brilliant, with an easy to understand and play set of rules, and an intriguing premise. I have a plethora of ideas for running it, but I would definitely change some things.

I am not a fan of the alternate history where advanced technology openly exists along side analog devices like the walkman, and the Sega Master System. That just doesn't make a lot of sense, and more importantly it doesn't fit the genre.

In all the cases I mentioned above - The Goonies, Stranger Things, etc. - the world is normal, without any fantastical elements prior to the situation that arises. It is the very fact that the world perceived by the characters and the audience matches the real world that makes the events that take place in the story so extraordinary.

I would set my game(s) in a world with the only amazing thing being that some government, or independent scientific research foundation/corporation has built a super collider near the PCs' home town. After the particle collider is tested, strange events start happening, and fantastic elements are introduced to the world. Also, when I say the world, I am really talking about the immediate vicinity of the Loop, and the PC's town. 

I am also thinking of moving the central location to somewhere in the North Eastern United States. Why? Well, simply put, I know it better. Stalenhag obviously based his book on the suburban region of Sweden where he grew up. I would probably go with the suburban/rural areas of Upstate New York where my father lived during the 80s. The low mountains, the large number of rivers, and streams, area weather, the small town feel coupled with isolation in the winter - all these components are familiar to me and would be easier to convey to players than Sweden or Nevada, which are places I've never been, or haven't spent much times in [respectively].

Anyone else check this game out yet? Curious to hear what others think of it. 

Hopefully more to come on this...

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Barking Alien